UTSA’s football signing class has taken the third hit in a week with the defection of receiver John Cole Neph from Owasso, Okla.

Owasso head coach Bill Patterson said in a telephone interview that he got a text from the UTSA coaching staff Sunday night saying that Neph had decided to take a preferred walk-on offer to attend Oklahoma State.

Patterson said Neph had always wanted to play for Oklahoma State, where his father played, and “I guess that’s what decided it.”

Neph joins Longview safety Travin Howard and Galena Park athlete Anthoula Kelly as those who have accepted other offers.

Howard decided to take a scholarship offer from TCU last Wednesday.

Kelly, a quarterback last fall who is being recruited as a cornerback, decided over the weekend to go with a scholarship deal to Fresno State.

All three players had given non-binding verbal commitments to the Roadrunners.

The three decisions to take other offers were confirmed independently through the players’ high school coaches.

UTSA is now believed to be down to eight known commitments leading into the Feb. 5 signing day.

The class was expected to be the smallest in school history, possibly only 14.